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The Millen News, Wednesday, August 26, 2009 — Page 3 ‘Is this dove field baited?’ / \ When you’re between jobs Come this fall, this may be a question asked ahead of time by an invited hunter to the host of the field. This may be a question one hunter poses to another as they step onto a dove field for the first time. In the worst case scenario, this question may be asked by in credulous hunters who have just been informed by the Game Warden that, yes indeed, the field is baited. Department of Natural Re sources Corporal Don Dasher of Jenkins County would like to avoid the last example and provide suggestions and strat egies for successfully and le gally attracting mourning doves, as well as tips for rec ognizing dove fields that may be baited. The key to hunting doves le gally in Georgia is understand ing the differences between “baiting” and “normal agricul tural operation”. “Baiting” is the practice of direct or indirect placing, ex posing, depositing, distribut ing, or scattering of salt, corn, wheat, or any other grain or feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for doves to, on, or over any areas where hunt ers are attempting to take them. Any baited area remains baited for 10 days following the com plete removal of any salt, corn, wheat, or any other grain or feed which constitutes bait. Dove hunting over or near a baited area at any time within ten days after the bait is com pletely removed is a violation. A “normal” practice or op eration is one conducted in ac cordance with official recom mendations of State Extension Specialists of the Cooperative Extension Service of the US Department of Agriculture. In Georgia, these are the Univer sity of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, Extension Agronomists; these are NOT the county extension agents. There are several of these spe cialists, each one dealing with specific crops or agricultural practices such as grains, soy beans, peanuts, soil erosion, etc. Hunting doves over manipu lated fields that were planted in the spring or early summer is a legal activity and by far the most common situation in Georgia says Corporal Dasher. For early season shooting, browntop millet has long been the preferred crop, since it is a favorite dove food and matures early with minimum attention. Other commonly planted grain crops for dove fields are: proso millet, sunflower, corn, grain sorghum and wheat that was planted the previous fall. These dove fields must be well planned if they are to at tract large numbers of doves and the crops should mature 10-14 days before the desired period for shooting. Once grown, these grains can be manipulated by activities that include, but are not limited to, mowing, shredding, disking, rolling, chopping, trampling, flattening, burning, “hogging” or herbiciding to make the seed more available to the dove. Two things that should never be done to these prospective dove fields is to harvest the grain or seed and redistribute them on the field at a later time, or add seed to what was already grown on the field. This second practice is com monly known as “sweetening” the field. Either of these prac tices can cause an otherwise legal field to become a baited field, making it illegal to hunt doves over. Corporal Dasher goes on to say that hunting doves over fields planted in late summer or fall is also legal, provided that the field has been planted as part of a normal agricultural operation. Normal agricultural operation implies a planting that is conducted in accordance with the official recommenda tions of the UGA Cooperative Extension Service. Aerial or top sowing of small grains without covering the seed is not a recommended practice by the UGA Coopera tive Extension Service. Dove hunting over a field planted by top sowing is illegal warns Corporal Dasher. Also, normal planting operations do not in volve placement of grains in piles or other concentrations. Piles of small grains, or small grains that have been broadcast on top of the ground, are pos sible warning signs of a baited field that hunters should look for. Another very important component of "normal agricul tural practice” is planting dates. All of Jenkins County lies in what is considered the coastal region of Georgia. As such, the UGA Cooperative Extension Service recom mends planting dates of Oct. 1 through Dec. 15 for all small grains (wheat, rye, oats and barley) and canola. Hunters may not hunt doves over or around late summer/fall planted fields if the plantings are outside of the recom mended dates. The application rate guide line for all small grains (wheat, rye, oats and barley) planted for crop or forage production is 1.5 to 2.5 bushels per acre. Also, it is not a normal agri cultural operation to sow grain several times in succession. If you find yourself on a dove field where seed has been sown more than once, it may be baited. Fields planted in crops that continually supply mature grain are most attractive to doves. Planting multiple crops with varying planting dates well ahead of dove season will ensure a supply of seed prior to and throughout dove hunt ing season. Start manipulation of crops as they mature and continue throughout the sum mer and the dove season. For late season dove hunting, leave portions of crops standing un til late fall and winter. These standing crops will also pro vide places for hunter conceal ment during the early dove sea son. Corporal Dasher goes on to say that cracked corn, rock salt, scratch feed and wild bird seed are not part of a normal agricultural practice and may indicate to the hunter that a field is baited. Small seeds or grains that are broadcast over grass or pasture land is not part of a normal agricultural prac tice and should warn hunters that the field may be baited. Also, the hunter should make sure that the seed that is vis ible matches the field condi tions. For example, on a millet field there should be millet seed present. If the hunter finds a row of shelled corn or sunflower seeds spread about, that may indicate a baited field. Whenever a hunter experi ences doubt as to the legality of a field, he or she should un load their shotgun and leave. Hunters, landowners, hosts, and land managers should al ways call their Wildlife Re sources Division regional of fice or local Conservation Ranger for any questions re garding field preparation ef forts. Corporal Dasher says that dove season in Georgia opens statewide on Sept. 5 and runs through Sept. 20. The second season runs Oct. 10 -18. The third and longest season runs from Nov. 26, 2009 until Jan. 9, 2010. Shooting hours are noon until sunset on opening day of the first season, and one-half hour before sunrise to sunset every day thereafter. The daily limit is 15. Dove hunters must have on his/her person a valid Georgia hunting license and a valid Mi gratory Bird Harvest Informa tion Program (HIP) permit. The HIP permit is free and can be obtained from any license dealer by completing a migra tory bird hunter questionnaire. Honorary license holders are exempt from the HIP permit re quirement. Any autoloading shotgun or other repeating shotgun must be plugged to hold no more than three shotshells while hunting doves. More information on legal dove hunting in Georgia can be found at www.gohuntgeorgia.com. 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State Farm Insurance Companies ^P056061 02/05^^^^^^^^BloomingtonJL^statefarrricom®^^^^^^^^^^ NOTIC E TO BID rht Jedfcns Couniv Board nl't'oruirti-'isiuiwo is asking [hrhiih on Severn! county buildings which need various repairs such as replace men! of roof, sofFil, fascia, w Endows, trim. and paint, the following is j list of the buildings which need repair: u) Jenkins CoiinLy Memorial Library-Replace windows on rear of building with insulated windows, replace or repair am rotten trim. Repair or replace fascia and soffits where needed lind show ing rotten wood. Repair copula with WiialherpnKif material <I lardy Hoard). Cheek for and repair any roof leaks anti any interior water damage, lie pair columns or side parch. Repair columns at fronl windows where needed. Reseal anti paint exterior, especially at I new wooden repairs. h) Jenkins Fount; 1 iealth Department-Remove ridge vent and replace with proper venting ridge cap. e) USf>A i arm Serv iee Agency-Repair too!' leaks and any inlcrior water damage, d) J lead start Building-Replaec sheathing and roof. Give bid price for a shingle and/or metal roof. Bids should be turned into I he Commissi Liners' Office by 5 Ik M. Lin Monthly. August 51, KJ09. The bids Mil be opened til the regular moiuhlv meeting on Tuesday. September 1. 2009 at 9;0(l A. M. Corambsfoners rcser\e the right to (eject any or all bids. JenkinsCcuNv lt,j.i:,i Of ' ConimiF.HiLHSfjH ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Monday and Friday at 7 p.m. at the Wimberly House at 521 S. Liberty St., Waynesboro. These meetings are open and anyone can attend. AA already has... Step Study: Tuesdays (Open Meetings) - 8:00 p.m. Thursdays (Closed Meetings) - 8:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church Hwy. 24 South - Waynesboro BUSY SCHEDULE? STC OFFERS NIGHT CLASSES ON THE SWAINSBORO CAMPUS IN THESE POPULAR PROGRAMS! ALANON Open Meeting-Monday - 8 p.m. at Wimberly House 521 S. Liberty St., Waynesboro Improve vour»aim! TAKE A SHOT with The Millen News classifieds! Choose from: •Accounting •Computer Information Systems •Early Childhood Care & Education •Criminal Justice •Forestry Svatnsboro Campus H*fcit« Read Siwinjibcuw, ti A 3(H01 (T7S) TECHNICAL COLLEGE [.nit ef ri-. 1 TiJrmyjJ Gifjf^r Sfifftn «/Gnrr^ij www.southeasterntech.edu